Game apparatus.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

T. A. WATTS.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' JNVENTOR.

WITNESSES .1

, ATTORNEY.

No. 815,053. PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

T.- A. WATTS.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1903.

2 sums-sum a.

. 29 I I 5 I INVENTOR A TTORNE Y.

I ing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

HOM S A. wArrs, OF-SPRIINGFIELD, OHIO.

GAZIVIE APPARATUS.

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.-

Application filed February 25, 1902. Serial No. 144,957.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, THoM s A. WATTS, a

f citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the countyof Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Game Apparatus, of which the following isa-specification, reference be- This invention relates to game apparatus,and more particularly to game or chance apparatus of the character knownas checkcontrolled, and has for its. obj ectto produce a simple andattractive apparatus of the class specified.

To this end the invention consists in certain novel features, which willfirst be described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of anapparatus embodying the invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a plan sectiontaken on the line 12 v of Fig. 3.. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken onthe line ww of Fig.- 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 4is an inverted plan section taken onthe line w a: of Fig, 6 and lookingin the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken onthe line y y of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig.6 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 4 and looking inthe direction of the arrows, and Fig. 7 is a detail plan view of thelower end of the spiral coin-raceway.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates-a suitable case comprising a base 2,uprights 3, a top 4, and sides 5, the latter of glass or othertransparent material. Within this case is located a vertical shaft 6,mounted in suitable bearings 7 in the base and top. In connection withthis shaft there is employed a chanceindicating devicecomprising acircular character-scale and a cooperating indicator, one of said partsbeing revoluble relatively to the other. In the present instance theindicator is revoluble, being attached to the shaft 6 and comprising aradial arm 8, located near the lower end ofthe shaft and provided with aresilient tip or finger 9. The circular character-scale is in this casefixed, being indicated at 10 and being located on the upper surface ofthe bottom 2 of the case. It is divided into a plurality of spaces, eachbearing a numeral or other indicating character, the spaces beingseparated by vertical pins 11, arranged in a circle beyond which theresilient tip of the indicator projects, so as to contact successivelywith said pins. -Any similar known chance-indicating device may besubstituted for the one shown and-described.

The shaft 6 is provided with-any suitable coin or check controlledoperating mechanism, that shown being one devised by me and constructedas follows: The shaft 6has its upper bearing in a frame-plate 12,secured to the under side of the top 4 of the case, said shaft havingsecured thereon near its upper end a gear 13, which is prevented frommoving in the wrong direction by a spring-pawl 14, mounted on the plate12. A vibrating lever 15, pivoted between its ends on the' plate 12, isrovided at its inner end with a pinion 16, a apted to mesh with the gear13 and prevented from turning in one direction by a spring-pawl 17,mounted on the lever 15. An actuating-spring 18 holds the lever 15normally in the position shown. of the lever 15 is connected by a link19 with one end of an operating-lever 20, pivoted on the plate 12 andhaving its other end arranged in the'path of the coin or check. Thispath is defined by means of a chute 21,. having an external mouth toreceive the coin or check, the lever 20 extending into the chute. Apusher 22, extending through a'bearing 23 in the top of the case, isprovided with a finger 24, which engages the top of the coin or checkThe outer end 1 and pushes it down through the chute, thereby moving theoperating-lever 20. The

pusher is returned to its normal position by a spring 25, and a pivotedprotector-arm 26, actuated by a spring 27, extends into the chute inadvance of the lever 20 and serves to' prevent withdrawal of the coinafter it has en action of the spring 18, the pinion 16 is heldfromrotating by the pawl 17, and the gear 13 and shaft 6 are thus given arotatory impulse which operates thechance-indicating device in anobvious manner.

Secured to and rotating with the shaft 6 is a spiral raceway 28, downwhich the coin or check runs by gravity. This'is in the form of an opentrough encircling the shaft 6 and Through extending substantially fromtop to bottom thereof. At its upper end the raceway is connected to theshaft by means of a guideplate 29 in the form of a disk having a slot oropening 30, through which the coin or check may fall into the upper endof the spiral raceway, one or bothwalls of which are extend ed upward tosaid disk adjacent to said slot, as indicated at 31, to better guide thecoin and support the raceway. The chute 21 is provided with a curvedextension 32, extending over the disk and open at the bottom to guidethe coin to the opening 30, the disk supporting the coin until theopening comes under it, and the extension 32 being provided with aterminal stop 33 to prevent the escape of the coin.

At its lower end the raceway is provided With a terminal stop 34 anddischarge slot or opening 35 to permit the coin to drop by gravity fromthe raceway, and below the lower end of the raceway there is located afixed uide-plate 36 in the form of a disk supporte by an arm 37 from asocket 37 on the base 2 or otherwise, said guide-plate having a slot oropening 38 located above a receptacle or drawer 39, into which the coinsare discharged. In the present instance the bottom has an opening 40 topermit the coin to enter the receptacle.

After the coin has been inserted in the chute and pushed down by thepusher the shaft 6 ,and its attached parts rotate, as described, and thecoin lying in the chute extension 32 the disk 29 travels around under ituntil the coin falls through the opening 30 into the spiral raceway. Thecoin rolls down the raceway by gravity, and the raceway is preferably soconstructed as to embrace only the lower portion of the coin, so thatits descent may be observed through the transparent sides of the case.During this descent the coin acts by reaction as a propelling force uponthe spiral raceway and shaft. When the coin reaches the lower end of theraceway, it falls through the slot 35 onto the disk 36, being still heldupright and carried around,

' however, by the raceway until it reaches the slot 38 in the disk,through which it falls into the receptacle. This latter may be providedwith a lock and may be opened or withdrawn from time to time to removethe coins or checks.

The apparatus is intended to be used in a game or amusement in which achance device is employed. For instance, each player may be providedwith a given number of checks, which are successively used by theplayers, the player having the largest total of numbers indicated by thechance device being the winner.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise detailsof construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanyingdrawings, as the same may obviously be modified without departing fromthe principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A coin-controlled game or chance apparatus comprising an incl osingcasing having a transparent wall, a vertical shaft mounted to rotatewithin the casing, a coin-controlled operating mechanism connected withsaid vertical shaft to impart to the same an initial rotatory impulse, aspiral coin-raceway connected with the shaft so as to rotate in unisontherewith, said raceway being grooved or U shaped in cross-section andembracing only the lower edge of the coin so as to expose the bodythereof, a receptacle located below said raceway, means for conductingthe coin from the impulse mechanism to the raceway and from the racewayto the receptacle, and a base provided with a circular chance-indicatingscale, the shaft being provided with a cooperating indicator, and thespiral raceway being so constructed and arranged that the weight of thedescending coin thereon adds a propelling increment to the initialrotatory mechanism, substantially as described.

2. A coin-controlled game or chance apparatus comprising an inclosingcasing having a transparent wall, a vertical shaft mounted to rotatewithin the casing, a coin-controlled operating mechanism connected withsaid vertical shaft to impart to the same an initial rotatory impulse,said operating mechanism comprising a coin-chute open at its lower end,a guide-plate mounted on said shaft below said chute and provided with aslot or opening, a spiral coin-raceway connected with the shaft so as torotate in unison therewith, having its upper end located below said slotor opening, and having at its lower end a (lischarge-slot and a terminalstop, said raceway being grooved or U-shaped in cross-section andembracing only the loweredge of the coin so as to expose the bodythereof, a fixed guide-plate located below said raceway and having adischarge slot or opening, an a re ceptacle located below saidlast-mentioned slot or opening, the base being provided with a circularchance-indicating scale and corresponding projections and the shaftbeing provided with a resilient indicator engaging said projections, thespiral raceway being so constructed and arranged that the weight of thedescending coin thereon adds a propelling increment to the'initialrotatory impulse imparted to the operating mechanism, substantially asdescribed.

3. A coin-controlled game or chance apparatus, comprising achance-indicating device, a shaft controlling the same, a gear securedon the shaft, a spring-pawl to prevent reverse motion of said gear, aspring-actuated vibrating lever, a pinion mounted on said lever andadapted to engage the gear a spring-pawl to In testimony whereof I affixmy signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS A. WATTS.

Witnesses:

E. O. HAGAN, IRVINE MILLER.

